53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
For the neophyte public speaker, August 8, 2007
This review is from: The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open Up and Own the Room (Hardcover)
This book reads like a presentation....and that is not meant as a criticism. A solidly constructed presentation.
The Exceptional Presenter is aimed primarily at people who do not routinely get up in front of audiences. It contains a wealth of hints for beginning speakers, and strongly reinforces the common sense notion that the more you practice, the better you get.
The book is liberally sprinkled with half-page anecdotes and stories about public speaking disasters. These are excellent examples of what NOT to do in front of a crowd. (The one that hit home for me was the company that tasked someone in a meeting to count how many times the consultant giving a presentation said "uh" each minute...been there, done that).
At 188 pages, it's an easy read. I read it cover to cover on a three hour plane flight.
If you've given, say, over 12 speeches in your career this book is probably not for you. As another reviewer mentioned, you'd probably be better off with Jerry Weissman's "Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story". If you're just 'learning the ropes' of public speaking, though, the Exceptional Presenter is a pretty good place to start.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
85 of 92 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding! Makes it easy to overcome your fears and excel, May 23, 2007
This review is from: The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open Up and Own the Room (Hardcover)
This little hardback is incredibly easy to read. Extremely well organized, it's written in clear, jargon-free language. Each of its many lessons covers just a few pages, and is composed of short, straight-to-the-point paragraphs. Sized to fit easily in the side pocket of a laptop case, it's an ideal way to kill time at an airport gate, on a flight, or even during those dead half-hours that often pop up between convention sessions.
Better still, this book really delivers on its promise. Practice its advice and you will become an effective public speaker. Author Tim Koegel ("KAY gull") covers a wide range of verbal and nonverbal topics, from how to avoid using "verbal graffiti" (such as the dreadful "to be honest with you") to how to have good posture.
The book is organized around what, at first glance, seems like a corny conceit. Koegel claims that an exceptional presenter is one who can "OPEN UP and own the room." Why does he put "OPEN UP" in all caps? Because that's the author's self-invented acronym that refers to six characteristics Koegel feels all great presenters share -- they're Organized, Passionate, Engaging and Natural speakers who Understand their audiences and routinely Practice their presentation skills. The book then devotes a full chapter to each of these traits. Each chapter is filled with useful tips. The one on being passionate has two dozen!
A section on what to do with your hands is especially helpful. Illustrated with 27 simple line drawings, the advice gets quite specific. For example, when the author discusses which hand gestures are best to emphasize comparisons, he writes that you should mimic the information as it would appear on a slide: "Dollar amounts, percentages and revenue are typically depicted using vertical bar charts. Therefore, perform these gestures vertically. Use horizontal gestures to demonstrate timelines, phases or stages of a project and chronological sequences."
You'll also learn how to illustrate dates and numbers, where to put your hands when you're just standing there, what to do with them if you're sitting at a table, even how to hold visual aids.
Additional chapters help you prepare your own introductions, conduct question-and-answer sessions and, my favorite, control your nervous energy. The back of the book has a series of worksheets to use to help you practice your skills, prepare and grade your performances and even judge television "presenters" such as debating politicians and the guests who are interviewed on "60 Minutes."
As an author and small business owner, I've had to make face-to-face proposals, host trade show booths, meet with reporters, do book-signings and speak in front of many groups. And I know what it's like to be nervous: just before my first trade show I had such an anxiety attack I had to lay down behind my display's backdrop! If you're like that, this book is the perfect antidote to calm those fears. Its advice is so easy to follow, and so easy to practice, it can help you not only get through these situations, but actually excel at doing them..
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Book, March 20, 2009
This review is from: The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open Up and Own the Room (Hardcover)
A solid book about giving presentations. You will need other books in order to get a full overview of how to present effectively.
I thought the book lacked real world examples. It was mainly the theory behind presenting effectively but it does not show you examples.
For example, Presentation Zen helps with the design elements of your presentation and telling a simple story.
I would also recommend an Ebook called New Rules of Public Speaking (www.newrulesofpublicspeaking.com) because it has modern examples of speeches, pitches that work. It has links to dozens of Youtube clips and you can watch Steve Jobs or Tim Ferris while reading a description of what they do well.
To master powerpoint you need Beyond Bullet Points. That is an information packed book worth $20.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
